A New Display Paradigm for Air Traffic Control Management

DCS Corporation is teaming with NVIS, Inc. to propose an out-the-window solution for the problem of air traffic control (ATC) personnel seeing and recognizing aircraft, surface vehicles, and unpredictable airport incursions in sufficient time to directmishap avoidance or accident response measures, particularly during times of limited visibility. This project provides the opportunity to characterize the tasks of US Air Force traffic controllers in the tower environment, develop an out-the-windowconcept of operation, analyze hardware requirements and components to achieve device effectiveness, develop and demonstrate the feasibility of a display concept prototype system, and integrate the hardware solution with tasks that enhance situationawareness and safety for controllers. To adequately address the low visibility conditions frequently experienced by ATC tower personnel, our system concept includes a see-through, head-mounted device and an infrared, scene-augmented, hand-held device.This concept incorporates supplementary visual information on a near-to-eye display that meets such form factor requirements as comfort, lightweight, and unobtrusiveness. The intent is to improve a controller's ability to see and recognize ground hazards,while utilizing the complimentary strengths of head-mounted see-through display and hand-held display technology. The principal investigator leading this project is experienced in air traffic control issues and display technology. There is significantcommercialization potential for an Air Traffic Controller (ATC) head-mounted and hand-held displays (HMD/HHD). In addition to the target Air Force ATC application that is the subject of this SBIR, there are potential users in all branches of the militaryservices that have aviation assets and ATC responsibilities. A significant potential government customer is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and its corresponding agencies in foreign countries. There is also potential utility for this conceptfor law enforcement personnel, firefighters, and special operations forces in non-aviation applications.